VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (February 24, 1939)

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FIFTY OF DENTISTRY.

Oak Park, Ill., Fob. 19.-The article 4n THE TRIBUNE Feb. 16 on.'Dentistry Fifty Years Ago " Is ridiculous and an Insult to the many fine dentists of that time. The Chicago Dental society must have got their models from Hlottentots. I doubt If anything as crude as teeth made from and pewter was In use In

Washington's -time.

Dentists of fifty Years ago did some mighty fine work, with gold and porce- lain crowns, and bridge work. The writer is 72, and my mother had a set of teeth made over fifty years ago by Dr. Theodore Hewett .Sr.. " one of Chi- cago s leading dentists of that time," that for beauty, comfort, and good fit excelled anything put out today. She wore them for years and could masti- cate a mighty Of steak.

And as to dentists having trouble with fillings staying In, the writer had an eye tooth extracted a year ago that had a porcelain Inlay put in by a Chicago dentist In 1894, and the Inlay was as firm the day It was extracted as when It was put In. I called the dentist s at- tention to it, and I regret that it was not preserved to exhibit, The average

life of an Inlay or filling nowadays Is from five to ten years.

The older generation did not start los- ing their teeth until they were 50 or 60, but now It Is common for young people 25 and 30 to have bridges, and many have full sets of false teeth at 35 or.40. And it seems that only about one den- tist out of six can make plates to fit.

The modern removable bridge is an Improvement on the old from a sanitary standpoint. Equipment and methods have been greatly improved, but results are no better if as good, and I think many old-timers will agree with me.